We’ve gotten accustomed to being able to find the foods we want no matter the season. Does our picky toddler request strawberries in the dead of winter? No problem. Can we make a recipe that calls for butternut squash in early spring? What if we’re craving a taste of pineapple in November? Often, all it takes is an extra trip to the grocery store.
Our agricultural sector makes our access to safe, nutritious and delicious foods possible. Every day, farmers and ranchers put in the hard work, often from sunup to sundown, to ensure our favorite products remain on our grocery store shelves and tables. But right now, the industry is facing incredible challenges in delivering the crops we count on.
Extreme weather, driven by climate change, is to blame. This year alone, Arkansas agricultural producers experienced record-breaking input costs. Early on, they faced heavy rains that delayed planting. Next, they battled the effects of severe summer drought. Then, the rains came—just as harvest started. They’re now in a holding pattern, keeping their fingers crossed for the best yields possible.
Fortunately, relief for the agricultural industry—and consumers—is on the horizon. In February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) unveiled its Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities to help combat the effects of extreme weather. As part of this, the USDA recently announced it would invest $2.8 billion to support one to five-year pilot programs across the country, including 20 in or benefitting Arkansas. The selected projects will promote practices that help farmers “build soil health, sequester carbon, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance [their] productivity.”
This infusion of USDA funds comes on the heels of the Inflation Reduction Act, which allocated nearly $20 billion in federal funding for sustainable agricultural programs. The bill, signed into law in August, boosts existing conservation programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, commonly known as EQIP, and Regional Conservation Partnership Program.
Funding for climate change mitigation is a critical step, but a more significant effort is needed to coordinate these financial resources. In Arkansas, we’ve seen agricultural producers unsure how to navigate potential grant opportunities. Others are hesitant about whether they are eligible for funding. Our state agencies provide invaluable, on-call tools for farmers and ranchers. But even they are sometimes left in the dark about what’s available or when to apply for it.
Consumers want foods to be readily available and affordable. Extreme weather is putting that at risk. We must continue to push forward with commonsense initiatives like the Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities. We must also ensure agricultural producers can leverage them in their operations. By allocating funding for and maximizing the use of these financial resources, we can fight back against climate change before shoppers feel the pain at the grocery store checkout.
A recently named Champion of Conservation, Hallie Shoffner is a sixth-generation Arkansas row crop farmer and the CEO of SFR Seed, a soybean and rice seed production farm. For more information, visit farmherhallie.com or email hallie@sfrseed.com.
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